Number 12, Grimmauld Place
by silvermedal
Summary: Soon after the death of Sirius, Emma Welling comes to Grimmauld Place claiming she was his lover. This leads to hilarious and heartbreaking romantic twists and unexplained appearances of Voldemort.
1. Meeting Emma

_**AUTHORS' NOTE:**_** This story was written about three years ago, before Half-Blood Prince was released**.** The two of us (this story was co-written) took turns writing sections, so the breaks you see are where we switched authors. This story was supposed to be serious when we wrote it (in the beginning, at least), but please feel free to find the humor we discovered upon rereading recently.**

* * *

Vivid red locks fell dramatically to the dusty floor as the scissors snapped together for the last time. Accomplishing her mission, Ginny Weasley swept up her leftover hair and put it in a wastebasket. She swung her head. It was a very refreshing feeling. Smiling, for reasons of her own, she opened the door and quietly slipped out.

* * *

She entered the hallway and heard the sudden outburst of doorbell. It echoed slowly through the house and finally reached the portrait of Sirius's mum. She began to scream as she always did.

"Damn," Ginny thought to herself. She tiptoed down the hall. As she passed the picture, she paused for a moment, contemplating her knifing it, but decided against it. Ginny turned around in the hallway as she felt someone tap her shoulder.

"Hello," said the familiar voice of her long-term (but secret) crush the incomparable Harry Potter. Ginny smiled.

* * *

"Nice, er, haircut," he said over the sound of Sirius's mum's screaming.

"Thanks," said Ginny slightly flirtatiously. "I did it myself; just now…don't know what Mum'll think, though."

Harry grinned. "Don't worry, I'm sure she won't notice," he said sarcastically.

"Is anyone going to answer the door, and perhaps stop that incessant noise?" Ginny sighed.

"Er, we might as well…"Harry said slowly. He and Ginny walked the rest of the length of the hall and took the stairs by storm. Ginny pulled open the door breathlessly.

* * *

Harry stared for a moment at the figure in the doorway. It was a woman that looked slightly younger than Sirius or Lupin. She had incredibly straight black hair and icy blue eyes that had eyeliner running down her cheeks, as if she had just cried for very hard, though her face looked strangely pale and not red at all. She was wearing muggle camouflage pants and a black lacy tank top. She let out a low sob and walked moved inside Number Twelve Grimmauld Place.

Emma Welling ran her hands over the familiar walls. She had some very interesting memories here, most involving furiously (that is sort of a joke on my part, but just sort of) snogging, but a couple had been just hysterically laughing to a joke that wasn't originally very funny.

It almost made her smile. Almost.

* * *

"Er…"

Ginny and Harry exchanged glances and watched her as she turned to them. "I need to talk to Tonks," she said with another sob.

"Er, she's up a couple floors, in the drawing room," said Harry, still confused.

The woman turned without another word to them and climbed the stairs.

"What was that?" Ginny asked Harry, as puzzled as he was.

"I guess it was probably someone for the Order," he said hesitantly.

Ginny looked at him. "Yes, but they don't normally come in sobbing, do they?"

* * *

Emma entered the drawing room without knocking and immediately regretted it. Remus snorted and Tonks pulled away from him suddenly. She unwrapped her arms from around his neck. She blushed a deep scarlet that clashed horribly with hot pink hair. Emma was suddenly reminded of another couple…..

She sputtered for a moment, trying to come up with an appropriate thing to say. Tonks said something softly to Remus and walked over to Emma. She hugged her unexpectedly.

"I'm really sorry," she said.

* * *

"She needs a vacation," said Harry solemnly.

Ginny looked at him. He looked back.

She burst out laughing.

A few minutes of side-splitting laughter later (for every time Ginny and Harry looked at each other, they burst out laughing), Ginny shook her head. "Still wonder what was up with her, though."

* * *

Tonks continued to hug Emma, and finally she let go.

"Do….Do you want to talk?" she said cautiously.

"N-No. Maybe tomorrow. I'll be in one of the guest rooms," Emma said looking down. She quickly exited the room and almost ran down the hall to a room, passing the hysterically laughing Ginny and Harry. She locked the door and collapsed onto the bed. Emma stayed like that for a moment and she might have even drifted asleep, but when she got up she had made her decision.

Emma brought the blade of the silver dagger that had a small snake carved into the handle. She brought it sharply down across her wrists. She called out in pain as the blood began to flow toward her fingers, still curved over the knife's hilt. The room swirled before her eyes, and she felt herself pass out.

Emma found herself in the Gryffindor common room, though it was strangely empty. She was sitting in one of the red overstuffed love-seats. She saw a figure emerge from the stairs of boy's dormitory. She smiled and found herself crying again. It was the familiar figure of the only man she had ever loved: Sirius Black.

He walked slowly over to her and sat down on the love-seat. His hair was clean and he was smiling at her.

"I've been expecting this. You always have been very emotional and rather irrational, like me. This isn't what you want. You do have to know that. It's not as bad as you would think, dying that is, and just it's not the right choice. You've got more to live for," he said putting his arm around her shoulder.

"I think I always knew that, it's just that, well, seeing you here and everything….." she trailed off. Sirius leaned forward and took Emma's hands into his hands. She went slowly forward and……and…..and……….

"I think she's waking up," said a voice as Emma slowly opened her eyes to the face of Harry Potter. She was slightly disoriented as to where she was, but she realized quickly it was St. Mungo's. Tonks came running over to her.

"Emma, how are you? Do you feel alright? We heard you yelling, so we came to see what was going on and that was how we found you. It really scared everyone, but I'd have to say that I wasn't surprised. The worst part of course was that you just happened to use one of the enchanted knives that keep going attacking you after you've dropped it. Luckily we got you here fast enough and you'll be fine. I was really worried," Tonks said very, very fast. Emma smiled slightly. She hadn't really been listening, but reliving the last moment with Sirius in her head.

"Uh huh," she said nodding her head distractedly.

* * *

A few awkward minutes passed in the hospital room in which Harry really had no idea what was going on. He listened to everyone talking about "the good old days."

Harry found his mind wandering. Ron and Hermione were up in the tea room with Ginny. Maybe he'd go get them…

"I'm going to go to the tea room," he said. Apparently he'd interrupted someone, but he didn't really care. He pulled the door open and exited.

Arriving in the lounge, he noticed Ginny sitting on a couch reading the _Daily Prophet._ Ron and Hermione were nowhere to be seen.

"Hey," he said, sitting next to Ginny. "Where're Hermione and Ron? I thought they were up here…?"

Ginny smirked. "They're in an empty room out there somewhere, I dunno," she said. "Might not want to go look for them."

Harry blinked. Ginny giggled.

Harry noticed there was no one else in the lounge. Odd, he thought. He looked over at Ginny, and somehow they were considerably closer. "Er…"

Ginny turned slightly pink. She stared at the ceiling.

What happened next neither of them could explain. Harry put his arm around her neck and pulled her close. Before he knew what was going on, they were kissing.


	2. Russell Creech and Jess Alexander

Tonks had pulled up a chair next to Emma's hospital bed. Lupin was standing behind her with his hand set protectively on her shoulder. He looked rather embarrassed, but really very happy. Molly was leaning over the small table next to Tonks. She was organizing the piles of stuff that had been set on it and kept glancing at Remus. Arthur was slumped against the wall in a corner, totally immersed in a copy of _The Quibbler_. He laughed.

"I think you should talk to Harry. It just seems like that you both have a lot to say to each other, but you might want to wait until after tomorrow," said Tonks.

"Why? What's tomorrow?" Emma said curiously.

"We're reading the will," Remus said suddenly. Molly nodded and than began to speak. "Uh, well Remus and Tonks? Could I have a word with Emma?" Tonks stood and took Lupin's hand and they quickly left. Emma looked up and realized that Arthur must have left too, because the room was empty except for her and Molly.

"Well, dear, we found this. We thought you should have them," Molly said as she handed her a box. Emma opened it slowly and found a large pile of papers in them.

It was a pile of letters. She looked at them closer and saw the familiar handwriting of Sirius. Emma smiled as she saw they were a pile of letters he had written, but never sent to her.

* * *

"Ginny?"

Ginny pulled back, her eyes wide. "Shit!" She ducked down so as not to be visible from the door.

"Hello, Mr. Weasley, er, uh, I haven't s-seen Ginny or anything," Harry stuttered.

Arthur was standing in the doorway looking stern. "I think you have."

Harry turned scarlet. "Uh, I, uh…"

Mr. Weasley walked up to the couch and peered over the edge.

"Hey, Dad," Ginny said softly.

* * *

Remus and Tonks walked slowly down the corridor. Tonks glanced at Remus. She slid her arm around his neck.

"Do you want to find a more private room?" she said quietly. Remus walked towards a door and opened it slowly.

"Bloody hell!" yelled Ron as he disentangled himself from Hermione. They were blushing profusely.

"Er, sorry," said Remus, looking just as embarrassed. He closed the door quickly and Tonks began to laugh.

"Talk about bad timing."

* * *

"Ow, gerroff, aa- aaaahhh!"

"Come on, young lady," Mr. Weasley scolded as he dragged Ginny through the corridors by her ear. "We're going to see your mother."

"Please, don't tell Mum! Please!"

Harry was following the two of them at a distance, cursing himself mentally. He had just gotten Ginny into very big trouble, and she hadn't done anything at all.

Just outside Emma Welling's hospital room, as Arthur was opening the door, Mrs. Weasley came into the hallway through the door Mr. Weasley was trying to open. She looked at Ginny, whose ear was still in Arthur's grip, and said briskly, "What did she do?"

Mr. Weasley released his grasp and muttered something in Molly's ear. Her eyes widened and she said very loudly, "She did _what_?!?"

Ginny, who was trying very hard not to look at her parents, bit her lip and turned red. She was in trouble, was she ever.

After a few seconds, Mrs. Weasley turned to Ginny. _Here it comes,_ thought the latter, and looked down.

Mrs. Weasley took her by the wrist and led her into an unused room. She merely glared at her daughter for a few seconds.

"Well," she said in a quavering voice. "Explain yourself."

"Er-" Ginny began, but before she could say anything else, her mother exploded.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD I'VE WORKED TO RAISE SEVEN CHILDREN?!? I THOUGHT, MAYBE, I'D DONE OKAY, BUT THEN YOU GO AND—AND— SNOG HARRY POTTER!"

"Mum! We weren't _snogging-_"

"I THOUGHT RON WATCHING YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN ENOUGH, BUT YOU HAVE TO GO AND DO IT BEHIND OUR BACKS! DID YOU THINK WE WOULDN'T FIND OUT?!?"

"I didn't-"

"GINEVRA MOLLY WEASLEY! THERE'S NO POINT IN LYING, I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT ROOM! NOW YOU GO AND APOLOGIZE TO HARRY-"

"What? Why?"

"BECAUSE YOU DRAGGED HIM INTO THIS! I DON'T EXPECT HE KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO…GOING TO…"

"Mum, I wasn't the one who-"

"YOU TELL ME ONE MORE LIE AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE GROUNDED FOR A YEAR! I WANT YOU TO APOLOGIZE TO HARRY-"

"But-"

"WHAT DID I SAY?!? ANYWAY, APOLOGIZE AND THEN I AM NEVER GOING TO LET YOU GO ANYWHERE WITH THAT BOY –though he is a sweet boy—WITHOUT SUPERVISION BY EITHER MYSELF OR YOUR FATHER!"

* * *

Emma laughed quietly. She could hear everything Molly Weasley had been saying, or yelling, through the wall. Though she knew it must be awful for Ginny, it was rather funny, not because of the situation, but how her mum had phrased everything. Emma doubted very much that it was really Ginny or Harry's fault to what had happened, but she wasn't going to go and say it.

She noticed now that the room was empty, leaving her entirely alone. Emma stood from the hospital bed. She grabbed her clothes and pulled off the hospital gown, and replaced it with her own pants and shirt, which must have been magically cleaned, because there was no sight of blood on either of them. She examined her reflection in a mirror hanging on the wall.

Emma still looked very young, and she considered herself pretty, though she didn't know if that meant anything. She shook her head, letting her black hair do the wave across her back. Then, silently, she opened the door to the room.

Tonks and Remus appeared to have found a private room not occupied by Rons and Hermiones, Arthur and Harry were both staring awkwardly the other way, and other than that the hallway was empty. She tiptoed slowly down the hallway and outside.  
Emma took a deep breath. Ahh, fresh air.

* * *

"She WHAT?"

"Put me on endless supervision, yeah." Ginny sighed and looked at her brother. "It isn't that big of a deal really, I mean, Lupin and Tonks go snog all the time, and you and Hermione-"

"Don't tell Mum about that!" Ron looked absolutely terrified. "Did you?" he added meekly as Ginny grinned.

"Nah, I didn't tell her. But," she added, "now I have blackmail. Actually, I always had blackmail, but now you don't have any against me, because she already knows about it. And actually," she continued, "you never had any against me in the first place, because that was the first time I ever did anything. I'm a good little girl, see, unlike you. Well, actually, you're not a girl either."

Ron glared at Ginny for a moment, then grinned. "Oh, yes I do have blackmail, Gin. I doubt Mum'll be too thrilled about that time you and Michael Corner-"

"You're making that up! I never did anything with Michael!"

Ron crossed his arms. "Fine."

Ginny smirked and walked away. She had actually done the thing Ron was talking about with Michael Corner. Kissing, not doing it, you perv.

* * *

Ginny walked down the hallway slowly back to the hospital room. She played with her hair absentmindedly. Laughing suddenly, she thought of how Ron had forgotten that he could get blackmail on her anytime, because, as you know, Ginny had recently had a fling with Dean Thomas, with whom Ron shared a dormitory back at Hogwarts.

She opened the door slowly, as not to disturb its inhabitants, when she realized that it was completely empty. She looked at the vacant bed and noticed, too, that Emma's clothes were gone.

"Where the hell is she?" Ginny said with surprise.

Emma was standing on a street bench across the street from St. Mungo's, was where the hell she was. It was cold out (cold enough to see your breath) and she wished she had a coat or something. She shivered and leaned back to hit the metal back of the bench. She gazed across the way to the supposedly abandon building.

"Aren't you cold?" said a voice from next to Emma. She hadn't even noticed that someone had sat down on the rest of the bench. It was a good-looking man whose age she couldn't really tell, maybe the same as her, or maybe younger. He had a solemn rather tan face with small dark eyes and wavy blond hair that fell to his chin. He was dressed in a dark trench coat, over a black t-shirt with black pants, and  
wearing black boots (ok, so I just wanted a Goth character).

"N-Not really," Emma said with a shiver. He smiled slightly.

"Here," he said, "Take this." He took off his coat and handed it to her. She put it on reluctantly. She stared for a moment at the tattoo he had on his bicep (he had nice biceps) (I'm kidding) (No, I'm not). It was small and of an elegantly designed sword embedded in a rock. Emma thought this was a strange thing to put on your arm, but said nothing.

* * *

Ginny had no idea where her mum was. She had finished talking to Ron and then went back to the hospital room of Emma Welling and no one was there. She looked around and noticed a poster of Celestina Warbeck with her hott husband, Hayden Crow.

Then a blonde boy burst through the door. Seeing Ginny, his eyes widened. "What-?"

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Are you in the right room?"

He looked at her strangely. "Are you in the right room?"

Ginny glanced at the bed behind her, neatly made. "Am I?"

The boy stared for a moment, then began to laugh. "Have you been in here for a while?" he said between laughs.

"Er-yeah," Ginny muttered, embarrassed. "Who are you, anyway?"

The boy with hazel eyes chuckled. "A strange question to ask someone whose room you are mistakenly in…I should be asking you that. But very well…I'm Jess. Jess Alexander." He held out his hand.

"Ginny Weasley," said Ginny, and shook his hand. Jess's grip was firm but gentle.

"You're a pretty one, that's for sure," he said, and pulled Ginny close.

"What-" she said, and attempted to kick him.

"Ha ha," he laughed as he ran a hand through her hair.

"Egh," Ginny said, struggling. "Shh, now," Jess said…

Ginny then managed to knee him in a painful spot. As he keeled over, she kicked him in the back and ran out the door.

* * *

The blond and Goth man smiled at her and laughed slightly.

"It really is so damn freezing. Can I have my coat back?" he said jokingly. He shivered and she glanced at his bicep (again) to see he had goose bumps.

"Do you wanna go get a coffee with me?" he said, smiling even more. He had nice eyes she noticed. They seemed happy.

"To be honest I'm not looking for….romance right now," she said shivering, not with the cold.

"Alright, then, just as friends. 'Cause it is really friggin cold out," he replied. She shuddered and thought she might begin to cry again, but didn't. Emma nodded slowly. "Wait, what's your name?"

"Russell Creech, hottest man you'll ever meet," he said.

"I doubt that."

"Really? Then who is he? I need to kill anyone hotter than me."

"No worries, he's already dead." Emma shook with sadness. Russell leaned towards.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry," he said, and paused. "But I'm really serious about that coffee thing."

* * *

Ginny didn't know where she was going. Actually, she did: to find Ron. Although she didn't think the Healers would appreciate it much if she was caught running down the halls of a hospital.

She slowed slightly to a fast walk, headed towards the tea room. Arriving there, she found it empty. Where was Ron? It occurred to her she didn't know where anyone was at all. Not her mum, not Harry, not Emma. Now that she thought about it, she was positive she had not been in the wrong room. That boy…She shivered. What a creep. He must have been following me, she thought.

Ginny turned a corner and ran straight into her brother.

"Ron!" she said, surprised.

"Oh, hullo, Gin."

Ginny looked around hastily.

He paused. "Is something the matter?"

"Oh, no, not really," she said shrilly. "Just some creep chasing me through the halls of a hospital trying to put his hands on me and also _where is everyone???_" She finished on a note that could've broken glass, if there was any around.

Ron blinked. "A creep chasing you around…?...Er, maybe you should hide somewhere then…and I have no idea where everyone else is."

Ginny sighed. "Do you have any clue where I can hide in a _hospital?_"

"How about in a room?"

* * *

The shop was dark and smelled very strongly of coffee, which was expected for it was a coffee-shop. It was a small and cramped room with bookshelves and over-stuffed blue armchairs. A cash register sat on an even darker counter top on the other side of the café, with a black with pink haired girl with ears, nose, tongue, lip, eyebrow, and bellybutton pierced standing behind it.

"Hey Nikkei!" Russell said with a smile and a wave towards the girl.

"You know her?" Emma asked him earnestly.

"Yeh, I go to an art class with her. She's really nice, but shit at art," he added laughing. Emma smiled politely, not seeing what was particularly funny.

"You're an artist?"

"Yeah, poetry and sketches mostly, but some sculpting," Russell answered with a weird look on his face. She smiled slightly. Though couldn't deny the sadness she felt, this stranger had made her smile. He sat at a smile table and Emma took the second chair (that was also the only one left).

"I'll get the drinks. What do you want?" he said leaning in towards her.

"Uh, just a coffee, decaf, thanks," she answered with a shiver. Though the room was much warmer than the street bench, she was still considerably cold. She pulled Russell's jacket closer to her.

It was so strange to be in a muggle coffee shop. On the ceiling (because the walls were obscured by bookshelves) were posters of what appeared to be old books and movies. Reading these entertained Emma for a while, but soon her eyes lingered on the bookcase that their table was very close to. Russell returned and set her drink down.

"So You Want to Be a Wizard is a book? Really?" Emma said, still gazing at the spines of the books.

"Apparently," said Russell absentmindedly as he took a drink of his coffee. Emma did the same. The drink was warm, but not hot, and seemed like exactly what she wanted right then.

With every drink of it her mind began to slowly wander farther and farther until she was asleep.

* * *

"So tell me more about this 'creep' character," Ron said as they ran down the halls of the hospital. "You said he…wait… what did you say he did??"

"Nevermind, I'll tell you later…" Ginny panted.

Ron stopped abruptly, leaving Ginny to run smack into a wall. "Ginny…!"

The aforementioned rubbed her nose where it had slammed into the wall and said, "What?" in a tone that seemed to rival all mice.

At that moment Jess Alexander himself sauntered around the corner. Ginny let out a small squeak.

"Oh, hi, there, what was it…? Oh yes, Ginny. Looks like your...brother, is it? is accompanying you somewhere…well I suppose he won't mind if we find someplace a little more private?"

Ron looked confused. Then, with a sudden expression of realization, then of anger, he threw his fist at Jess's face.


	3. The Story Turns Strange

_**AUTHORS' NOTE: **_**This is where the story starts getting slightly ridiculous. It wasn't intended to be such, but it quickly escalated into full-fledged nonsense. Alright, not full-fledged, since Emma's storyline still makes sense, but...well, you'll see.**

Sirius was walking towards Emma, though it was a younger Sirius, seventeen or so. Emma seemed to be younger too. Sirius's hair was falling into his face as he walked closer to her. He was dressed in his normal black robes and he was smiling at her with that elegantly casual smile of his. She laughed out of joy of the sight of him.

"Hey," Sirius said quietly as he put his arms around her. She smiled up at him, for he was about a head taller than her. She brushed the hair out of his eyes and leaned forward for some lip contact.

"Hey, Emma! Are you awake?" said a very different voice quietly. Emma opened her eyes groggily and looked up into the face of Russell Creech.

"Wha….?" She said stupidly and than suddenly looked around. She was laying on a bed in a small apartment. Studying the apartment more closely she realized the walls were adorned with poster of things like a large circle of rocks that was obviously called Stonehenge (she saw the name at the bottom of the poster), the same sword that was tattooed onto his arm, and a large round table sitting many men that appeared to be knights.

"Where am I!?" she said in surprise.

* * *

"AND DON'T EVER EVEN THINK ABOUT MY SISTER AGAIN!!" said Ron as he punted Jess out the window. There was a thump and an odd yelp. Then a distant, "Well, you're a pretty one," and a voice that sounded like Hermione: "Get off me, you git!"

"Well, that's that, then…" Ron said, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"How is Hermione out there and we're in here?" wondered Ginny.

"Er…" Ron hesitated. "OHMYGOSH! I think they closed!"

"Well then how is Hermione out there?!?"

"I have no idea! AHH let's get out of here!!!"

* * *

"WHERE AM I!?" Emma repeated. Russell looked rather confused in her sudden anger.

"You fell asleep in the coffee shop and I didn't want to wake you up, but then they closed so I didn't now where to take you so I brought you to my apartment," he said calmly.

"Did you, what's that word, drug my drink!?" she yelled. He looked completely taken aback.

"No, of course not." She looked at him skeptically, and realized he was telling the truth.

"Alright, alright. I need to get back to…that street we were on," Emma said slowly. Russell looked confused, so she added "I have to meet my…friends there."

"They've probably already left, so you can call them if you want, here's the phone," he answered handing her a small oddly shaped box with numbers on it.

"They, uh, don't have a phone," she said putting the weird box down on the bed. "I really, really need to get back there."

"Ok, we can take the subway back," Russell said.

"The subway?"

* * *

Ginny and Ron ran enthusiastically down the halls of the closed St. Mungo's. It was all completely dark. Ginny kept running into walls and other such obstructions. Suddenly, she ran into an obstruction that said "Oof!" and fell over.

"What? Who's there? Ron! Someone's here!" she called to her brother.

"Ginny?" said the voice.

"Harry? What are you doing in here?"

"What's the matter?" Ron said, having walked over from the end of the hallway.

Harry answered him. "I suppose you two got locked in here as well?"

"Yeah…" Ginny started. She was actually more focused on the fact that she was about two feet from Harry in the dark at night. At the moment she was very glad her mum couldn't see her.

"Don't really know how it happened, mate," Ron finished for her.

"I fell asleep in the tea room…" Harry said.

"Good thing…er…maybe it's a bad thing…?...that Mum isn't here…?..." Ginny said, trailing off.

Harry got up and dusted himself. "I don't suppose we could get out the front door…?"

"Might as well try," Ron said, and they set off together.

* * *

Emma felt like applauding as the subway car came to a screeching stop, but she bet that wasn't normal Muggle behavior. She had found it highly enjoyable to go speeding through the dark, underground tunnels that were hiding under the bustling city of London, that she had never known were there. Emma made a mental note to come back and ride around on the subway for fun.

The doors opened automatically and Russell got up. She did the same and followed him into the station. They went up and escalator and out on to the dark street that appeared to be the one that St. Mungo's was on.

"Alright, I'll find my way from here," Emma said turning back to Russell. They stood in front of a streetlamp that highlighted the blond in his wavy hair and cast drastic shadows across his handsome face.

She had the sudden urge to kiss him and began to lean forward, when the pain came back. She pulled back suddenly. In all the excitement of being here with Russell, she had almost forgotten all the sadness….almost, but now all the feelings were back.  
Emma fell to the street corner and began to sob. Her whole body shook as she sat on the curb.

Russell leaned down looking concerned. "What's wrong?"

* * *

Running through the darkness was actually quite fun for Ginny, because whenever she bumped into something it was always Harry, for he was running in front of her. After some time, she began to wonder why they weren't getting anywhere. She stopped.

"Harry? Ron?"

She heard their footsteps halt. "What is it, Ginny?" Harry's voice said. It was suddenly rather close.

"Well…er, I don't think we're getting anywhere…"

"Good point," Ron said, stepping towards her.

There was a bolt of red light from some doorway.

"AHHH!" Harry yelled and fell to the ground.

"HARRY!" Ginny cried. She still couldn't see anything, but she could feel and hear Harry writhing on the floor.

"Ginny -- stay back --" Ron said and pulled her to him while whipping out his wand. She pulled free and took out her own wand.

"Who's there?" she said, her voice shaking.

There was a high-pitched cackling. Then a voice, cold and cruel, said, "Hello, Harry…and…Ronald Weasley and his sister, it seems."

"Who are you?" Ron demanded.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the voice said evilly. "I've forgotten to make proper introductions. I…am Lord Voldemort."

Ron whimpered.


	4. A Twist

_**AUTHORS' NOTE: **_ **I've realized this may be difficult to follow. We apologize for the crap formatting, but as I've said before, this wasn't really intended to be anything. Also, please don't take this story seriously. It would start to suck amazingly if you did. (Actually, Emily's Emma part _does_ make sense.)**

* * *

"I-It's j-just….," Emma said and hiccupped as she sat on the curb, crying her eyes out. Russell had his arm set reassuringly on her shoulders as they shook.

"Emma, does this have anything to do with…the dead guy you mentioned?" said quietly, trying to sound comforting, but was in real need of different wording. Emma looked up and saw the worry in his eyes that his voice had conveyed. She lifted her arms up and wrapped them around his neck. Her head fell into the muscular chest and stayed there as she shook with sobs. Russell patted her back as if he felt as though he should be doing something.

They got up slowly, with her still weeping into his shoulder. They moved at an even slower walk down the dark street. Emma didn't know were they where going, but it didn't really matter. She'd found a way to let her feelings out.

A teen boy walked by them. He was very good-looking with blond hair and hazel eyes, but looked rather bruised with his hair messed up. Emma was walking on her own now, and as he passed his hand ran up her arm. She pulled away and looked at him with a glare.

"Hey," he said, trying to sound sexy but only pulling off creepy kid. Russell and Emma had both stopped and the mutual glower could have killed.

"Yeh?" Russell said frigidly as he turned to the boy, who ignored him. He arched an eyebrow at Emma.

"Name's Jess Alexander. You're a pretty thing," he said.

"I don't think you should be saying that about her," Russell said coldly, but was ignored again.

"Really, really pretty," Jess said again trying to look sexy but failing.

He reached out his hand to touch Emma's shoulder. She hit it away before it even touched her. Jess staggered back, looking injured, melodramatically. Emma wanted to hit him some more, but lost her chance as Russell's fist hit him square in the face.

* * *

Harry stood up slowly. "It's not their fight," he said breathlessly. "Leave them alone."

There was more laughing. "My dear Harry, when have I ever let innocent wizards live?"

"No!" Harry whispered, and stepped in front of the two Weasleys.

"Leave them alone!" a voice yelled from the end of the hall.

Dumbledore, along with Lupin, Arthur and Molly, Tonks, and Hermione was standing framed in the light from the elevator.

There was a swish of a cloak, and then a loud _crack!_ as if someone had Apparated.

"Ginny! Ron! Are you ok? And you too, of course, Harry dear…Oh, how could we have left you here!" Molly Weasley swooped down on them and pulled them all into a crushing hug.

Dumbledore strode over to them. "We heard word that Voldemort was planning an attack on St. Mungo's…so we came."

"It's time to go home," Tonks said soothingly to a still whimpering Ron.

"Where's Emma?" Ginny asked.

"Well…" Lupin said. "We don't really know. We're hoping we'll find her on the way out. Come on."

They all crammed into the elevator and Harry, limping, pushed "Ground Floor."

* * *

The cracking sound that came from Jess's nose as Russell's fist found its way into it echoed down the empty street.

He staggered back; this time it was real and not melodramatic. Jess held his nose as the blood began to flood from it.

"Dude-" he began but the sentence was cut off as Russell's knuckles collided with the side of his head. More staggering before Jess collapsed onto the street. In truth the kid was a wimp.

"On your feet," Russell said almost calmly, with a hint of rage, but finished with a "Get out a' here!" Jess whimpered as he got to his feet and fled off to bother some other poor person.

Emma turned to face Russell. His hair was messed up, making him looking really hott, and he was massaging his hand with a grimace of pain.

"Sorry 'bout that," he said apologetically. She looked at him in slight awe. She had known him for less then a day and yet he would do…this… for her.

Emma felt the same urge to kiss him and began to lean forward, but was stopped by the sudden outburst of a familiar voice.

"Emma! There you are!" said Tonks.

* * *

Ginny noticed a man standing next to Emma. Though her surprise in seeing Emma here was large, she was even more surprised to see the man.

"How -- how are you here, now?" Emma said, confused.

"Nevermind that, dear," Molly said.

"Who's the hottie?" Tonks said, arching her eyebrow.

"Oh, him." Emma blushed. "This is Russell."

"Is he a Muggle?" Arthur asked hopefully.

"A what?" Russell cut in.

Emma nodded.

There was a pause.

Arthur spoke again. "Do you -- do you have a fellytone?"

"A _what_?" Russell said again.

"Nevermind him, he's just a -- fanatic -- of, er…this, er, band, called the Muggles, yeah," Hermione said.

* * *

"Uh, Emma, shouldn't we be getting back to Grimmauld Place soon?" Tonks said hesitantly.

"What's Grimmauld Place?" said Russell.

"It's a very large house in which we all live. It is truly very, very big," Hermione said firmly. He nodded in understanding, though everyone else looked at Hermione strangely. She shrugged.

"Why can't we go back to St. Mungo's?" Emma said.

"What's St. Mungo's?"

"Just forget it, Russell, it doesn't matter."

"We just can't go back there, so let's be going," said Tonks.

"Alright, Russell, I'll call you or something," Emma said, trying to sound like a complete Muggle, but she was pretty sure she failed.

"Erm, you don't have my number," he said quietly.

"Uh…I'll find it in…uh…"

"She'll look it up in the phonebook," Hermione finished. Russell smiled at Emma, waved and was gone, back to the subway station.

"What's a phonebook?"

* * *

Arthur raised his wand hand and the Knight Bus appeared, looking as purple as ever. "Let's see, one, two, three, four…" Arthur counted. "Nine to 12 Grimmauld Place, please," for Dumbledore had Disapparated some time ago.

"Tha's…woss it, then? Oh, five Galleons an' firteen Sickles, please."

Arthur handed Stan some money and everyone piled into the bus. "It'll only be a few minutes, everyone," Lupin said as they all sat down.

Ginny sat down next to Harry. Her mother cleared her throat. "Oh, Mum!" Ginny exclaimed. "Harry just saved me from You-Know-Who, don't you-"

"He…he saved you?" Molly Weasley looked at Harry.

"Well, er, not really, well, I suppose," he stuttered.

"Well then. Sorry, dear, for the confusion." She gestured for them to go on and sit together.

"Wait a minute." Emma looked at them. "Voldemort?"

Lupin sighed. "Tonks, explain."

* * *

Tonks quickly explained the scenario that had been placed in St. Mungo's. Emma gasped.

"You…faced Voldemort?" she said slowly.

"You…say his _name_?" Ron said with a shudder. She looked at him cautiously and smiled slightly. "Fear of a name-" she began, but was cut off.

"Only makes fear of the thing stronger," Harry finished. Emma turned to look at him. He smiled. His glasses were tilted off his face and fell silently to the sidewalk.

"What….? Why is everything so blurry all of a sudden?" he said, looking confused, but then raised his hand to his face and began to laugh. Ginny leaned down and picked up his glass and hand them to him. Their hands lingered a little longer then needed, as did Ginny's gaze.

"You look just like James….and you are just like Lily," Emma said.

* * *

"You knew my father?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Yeah, I was in the same year as him," Emma answered.

"12 Grimmauld Place!" Stan called out from the front of the Bus.

Everyone piled out enthusiastically. Ginny was the last to get off, Harry in front of her. "Harry-" she began but was interrupted when she forgot about the last step off the bus. She tumbled off and right on top of the aforementioned. The Knight Bus zoomed off.

"Harry, mate-"Ron started but stopped at the sight of his little sister on top of his best friend.

Ginny got up, blushing, and brushed herself off.

Harry followed suit and they all went inside happily, except Emma.

Once inside, Remus Lupin went up the stairs very quickly, muttering only "Crap!" Tonks swiftly followed him, looking worried.

"What was that about?" Hermione asked Ron questioningly. He shrugged.

"Dinner in half an hour!" Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen.

"How-?" Harry started, but Ginny cut him off. "I want to tell you something, come with me," she whispered in his ear.

Harry raised an eyebrow and followed the redheaded girl up a different set of stairs into a room completely painted orange.

"What-"

"This might take a while…" Ginny started and motioned to a bright orange couch. Harry and Ginny sat down. "Look-" Ginny started.

"What is it?" Harry asked and put his hand on her face.

"Oh - oh - nevermind!" Ginny wailed and ran out of the room.

* * *

The shadows fell drastically across the room and landed on the far wall. The tiny bit of moonlight that came in from behind the curtains of Emma's window was engulfing the pile of letters she had thrown onto the desk.

The shadows looked like a man. She knew it wasn't. It couldn't be. Emma shivered in preposterous fear. She pulled the blanket tighter around her legs and let her head fall down into the back of the armchair.

Emma had always had this strange telepathy of where Sirius was. She had been ignoring it for years while he was in Azkaban, because she didn't need that hanging over her head everyday. But she couldn't tell where he was. Just gone, that part of her mind having left.

"Where the hell are you?" she cried softly into the gentle folds of the night that seemed to be engulfing her room. "Why won't you just get the hell back? Why'd you leave me in this damn place, all by myself? Where the hell are you?"

"I'm right here," said a familiar voice.

* * *

JarJar Binks climbed through the window and kissed Ginny passionately on the lips. "Mesa no cool," he muttered. Then he exploded into fifteen thousand, five hundred ninety-two pieces.

"Honey?" Mrs. Weasley softly opened the door to Ginny's room. "Supper's-" She stopped. "Why, you look horrible! Your face is pale…" She put her hand on Ginny's forehead. "Honey, you're burning up!"

Ginny moaned.

"Here, you…just stay right here and I'll bring you up some hot soup." She pulled the covers up to Ginny's chin (for she was on her bed) and walked to the door.

"Mum?" Ginny groaned. "Was JarJar Binks…did he just come in…?"

Mrs. Weasley looked confused for a moment, then smiled. "No, dear, you must have been dreaming." She then walked out the door.

"But he was here!" Ginny said sadly, and went into a fitful sleep.

* * *

"Sirius! You're here," she said and ran to him. She didn't pause but fell into his arms. Emma sobbed into his shoulder.

"God, I love you. I missed you, but now you're here," she said quietly. His grip was firm and she could feel that he was thinking the same thing.

"I love you," Emma said again.

At first he was confused, but he knew what she thought. He held her in his arms for a moment longer, keeping her next to him, as he had always wanted. Just stay here. Just stay here. Don't let this moment end. Keep Emma next to you.

"I love you, too," Remus said.


End file.
